Distant Voices, Still Lives

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Mitch C @PrimetimeMitch Jan 27, 2026 It's a cinematic triumph and visually haunting. Terence Davies uses a lot of his own experiences to craft a movie that appears as though a photo album of a family's timeline. Split into two periods, either side of the death of their tyrannical patriarch played with chilling intensity by the late great Pete Postlethwaite. Freda Dowie is perfectly cast as are all supporting roles - all capturing some form of inner battle or denial. There's plenty of song, which may put some off who either don't expect or don't like a musical, but there's reason behind it with many of the melodies used as a mask to seek solace behind. It's rightly lauded as one of the best of all time in Britain and needs to be seen. See more Oct 14, 2023 One of my favorite films ever See more isla s @RT89656869 Sep 3, 2022 This is a somewhat nostalgic film about a family living in England, living through WWII and how they use music to lift their spirits. There is a sort of communal uplifting sense to it (it's not uplifting in itself but it shows people coming together to sing, which brings them together metaphorically), although it doesn't shy away from depicting grittier moments when they were made to rush for the air raid shelter as shrapnel falls all over. The characters are fairly likeable, with the exception of the unnamed patriarch, played by Pete Postlethwaite. While the film certainly features a fair bit of singing, to lift the moods of those depicted, among other things, it's true that there are scenes not featuring any singing as well. There is a definite sentimentality present but I liked that it's not what I'd regard artificially/unnecessarily cheesy. It very much toes the 'stiff upper lip' line. I thought it was quite telling how much was said between characters during scenes set in a local pub after a family occasion has taken place. It is perhaps a bit old fashioned - well, it's a period drama after all. It's not what I'd think of as especially memorable or great but it's certainly a good watch never the less, a real 'British film' as it were, so I'd recommend it on that basis. See more Leaburn O @RT35452347 May 31, 2021 Arty but adds nothing to the cinematic cannon. Except a bunch of scousers singing old wartime songs in a pub endlessly. Absolute pretension, boring drama. Don't watch, it's dull. See more john k @RT94718593 Jan 1, 2021 Extremely depression type of movie, a very hard watch See more William L @RT77267842 Dec 8, 2020 A visionary piece of work and an emotional roller coaster told through a jagged narrative, Distant Voices, Still Lives strings together moments ranging from jubilation to unmediated anger to create a portrait of a working-class family in the mid-20th century, unifying them through a focus on song. The film drops the viewer in the deep end right off the bat, depicting a complex father figure in his early love, eventual abuse, inevitable death, and final recollections of his actions by others; the film constantly instills some strong emotional response to a particular character, only to undercut it later, demonstrating a dedication to character complexity and a reluctance to establish objectively 'good' or 'evil' characters. Despite jumping around between time periods seemingly randomly, the film never seems confusing, always effectively establishing its period and the relevance of a scene's contents in context. There is a somewhat distressing, occasionally uplifting range of tones, combining the positive and negative aspects of domestic life and confronting the dangerous Frank Capra treatment of a solely positive treatment of nostalgia. (4.5/5) See more Read all reviews

Distant Voices, Still Lives

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